SCENTS OF coffee and fresh-baked biscuits collide with the crisp bite of winter air as the doors of First United Methodist Church at Winchester creak open at dawn. Inside, warm air welcomes guests, but it’s the conversations, the clatter of plates, and the dignity of clean towels stacked beside steaming showers that comfort them most.
Volunteers move intentionally, offering kind words, hot meals, and a safe place to rest. One man leans against the counter, sipping coffee, his hands no longer trembling from the cold. A woman in a worn coat emerges from a warm shower, dressed in a fresh set of clothes, her face transformed by something that looks a lot like relief.
Mark and Marian Stewart stand near the entrance, greeting each guest by name with a smile and a plate of scrambled eggs and sausage. Around them, the sound of life fills the space — the scrape of chairs, the clink of silverware, the low voices of neighbors sharing a meal. In this warming center, guests find a chance to be seen, cared for, and belong. It’s hope, shelter, and humanity restored in one place.
Mark and Marian grew up in Franklin County, and, according to the couple, there’s nowhere else they would rather be. Except for brief stints during Mark’s time in law school and Marian’s graduate studies in Birmingham, Alabama, Franklin County has always been home. They grew up in the area and attended school together. For years, their paths crossed in familiar places, their destinies entwining into a mutual purpose they wouldn’t fully realize until decades later.
Thanksgiving 2023 was a turning point for the couple. As volunteers for 931Cares, they helped prepare and deliver Thanksgiving dinner for anyone in need, including shut-ins, older adults, and individuals without housing. The event was a warm, community-wide gathering with good food and good intentions.
Later in the afternoon, someone suggested delivering meals to individuals without shelter. Mark and Marian volunteered to carry the warm and nourishing meals into the streets of their hometown. They first visited apartments that housed older adults, then made their way to a wooded path behind an old diner in Winchester. Mark had noticed the path months earlier and imagined it might be where someone sought refuge.
Mark noticed two tents pitched among the trees as he walked down the trail — this wasn’t weekend camping. It was survival. Calling out, he was greeted by a man’s voice. Someone familiar emerged from one of the tents, though decades had passed since their last encounter.
“I asked him his name,” Mark began. “It was a man that I had gone to school with at the Catholic school many, many, many years ago, and I had probably not seen him in well over 50 years. He was a year or two behind me. I asked him, ‘Did you go to Catholic school?’ And he said, ‘Oh, yeah.’”
The man shared his story. Health issues forced him into early retirement, leaving him to live on less than $900 a month. He chose to live outdoors to afford medication and groceries. Mark and Marian handed him and the others warm meals before leaving that day with heavy hearts and an overwhelming sense that more needed to be done.
That brief encounter stayed with Mark through the fall and winter. He couldn’t shake the thought of his former classmate and many others facing similar struggles. During a Sunday school class at their church, Mark shared his experience and voiced his resolution to act.
“I realized as soon as I said it out loud — I had to do something.”
That something became a warming center. With guidance from local advocates like Bruce Shaw and support from their church, Mark and Marian took the reins of an effort to provide clothing, food, and temporary shelter for those without housing.
“We’ve been on a learning curve because there’s a lot of things about it that we had to learn from experience. And even though Bruce told me a lot of things, there are just some things you just find out from trying.”
Challenges are inevitable in any ministry. Initially housed at Grace Center of Hope, the center later moved to the United Methodist Church to accommodate both organizations’ growing outreach ministries. The operation relies on a persistent group of volunteers who handle everything from intake and meals to laundry and morning cleanup, making it all come together smoothly.
“It really has taken a team effort to do this,” Marian asserted. “Mark put together an advisory council when he started this. We’ve incorporated several people who were very active in helping people without homes in various areas. They taught us how to set up and run the organization. Mark and I couldn’t do this every night and get up for work, but a group of volunteers has helped with the setup every night and the intake process, meals, and clean up in the morning.”
For the couple, the work is as much about connection as it is about logistics. Meeting people without homes face-to-face has opened their eyes to the complex realities behind the statistics.
“I’ve read that many people are one paycheck away from being unhoused,” he said. “I think there’s a lot of truth in that. Some of the people who come into our shelter are older men who’ve worked their entire lives and contributed to society. But, because of bad health or aging, they’re no longer able to work at the pace that their employers want and are unable to find work. There are others who suffer from mental illnesses, whose families try to help, but perhaps they reach a point where they are not able to help them.”might change.
He added, “When we meet these people, we see them for who they are — as human beings. The judgment without the facts is the wrong approach to addressing this problem.”
The center offers a warm place to sleep on cold nights and a touch of dignity. Volunteers serve meals with a smile and treat guests like their own family. Still, the Stewarts dream of doing more. They plan to partner with local and state organizations to provide more sustainable solutions, like job training and permanent housing.
As the day winds down at the warming center, the Stewarts pause to look around at the faces of those they’ve served — some with gratitude, others with relief, but all with renewed dignity. The center’s comfort, both in its space and spirit, lasts long after the guests leave. For Mark and Marian, this is just the beginning. They are determined to provide shelter today and help create enduring change for the future.
If you’re looking for a way to make a difference in the lives of those who need it most, consider joining Mark, Marian, and their dedicated team of volunteers. Whether you serve meals, provide a warm space, or simply lend a listening ear, your presence can make all the difference. Reach out today and become part of this life-changing initiative. GN
